LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kyle Schwarber, Weston Wilson and Bryce Harper homered, and the Philadelphia Phillies clinched their second straight NL East title with a wild on Monday night.
It was the earliest division clinch in franchise history, two days sooner than the 2011 club that clinched on Sept. 17. The Phillies got it done in Game 151, second-fastest in club history behind the 2011 Phillies who did it in Game 150.
The Phillies also notched a 90-win season for the third straight year for only the third time in franchise history.
Since the New York Mets were idle Monday, the Phillies needed a win to clinch the division. They blew leads of 1-0 and 4-3 before getting past the NL West-leading Dodgers for their ninth win in 11 games.
Since the July trade deadline, the Phillies are 29-14. They’ve held it together despite injuries to key players.
The Phillies lost right-hander Zack Wheeler when he went on the injured list a month ago with a blood clot in his right shoulder. The club’s pitching depth has allowed it to absorb the loss because of its six-man rotation. Wheeler was 10-5 with a 2.71 ERA in 24 starts when he was sidelined.
Shortstop Trea Turner (right hamstring strain) and third baseman Alec Bohm (left shoulder inflammation) are both on the IL. Manager Rob Thomson said Bohm could return later this week at Arizona, while Turner could be back in time for the final homestand of the regular season.
The win made Thomson just the third manager in franchise history to win consecutive division titles, joining Charlie Manuel (2007-11) and Danny Ozark (1976-79). He’s only the fourth manager in Major League Baseball history to reach the postseason in each of the first four full seasons of a managerial career. Among the other three is Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
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